The shooting happened in an El Dorado Park Neighborhood apartment near Fourth Street and San Bruno Avenue shortly after 3:30 p.m.
All police are saying about the woman's identity is that she's in her late 40s. Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer says officers detained her last month for the same bizarre behavior she displayed before being shot and killed.
This neighborhood known for crime -- including shootings -- is once again the center of a police investigation. Moments after a 911 call was made, John Finch says he heard gunshots.
"I heard the shots and took off out of my apartment complex immediately to find out what was going on," said Finch.
He was met by officers -- he says -- closing off the neighborhood. Chief Dyer says the 911 call was from a man acquainted with the woman killed.
"The male caller said that a female was outside, was dancing around, talking to herself," said Dyer.
When officers arrived, Dyer says the woman was already inside the man's apartment. So officers quickly developed a plan of action and went into the small apartment.
"Suddenly a female appeared from the kitchen area. She was armed with a large knife, with about an eight-inch blade," said Dyer. "The officers had a plan prior to going in -- one of the officers was armed with a Taser, and the other officer provided cover with a handgun."
The chief says that woman was shot at least twice -- once in the upper body and once in the leg. She died at the scene as officers performed CPR.
Neighbors say they heard arguing outside before officers responded, and they say based on her behavior, the woman may have been high.
"But we don't know exactly; we haven't found out the full details yet," said Finch.
Neither do investigators. Chief Dyer says part of the investigation now includes blood work on the woman killed to see if she had drugs in her system, and to check whether she had any mental health problems Fresno police investigators are handling this case, with the district attorney's office monitoring their work.